Mizzou Mail

Small town makes late night TV

I was reading a piece on your website [“If pizza be the food of love … ”] about the top 10 funny ads from Shakespeare’s Pizza, and I thought that you might like to know that I submitted Shake’s “Free Cat” coupon to The Late Show With David Letterman a few months ago for use in his “Small Town News” segment. Well, he finally aired it March 11, 2010!

I live in Green Castle, Mo., and when I was in Columbia last year with a friend to see his heart doctor, I happened to pick up a copy of The Add Sheet with the funny coupon on the front cover. I found it hilarious and I thought that maybe David Letterman and his late night rival, Jay Leno, might agree. I submitted the ad for use in Leno’s “Headlines” and Letterman’s equivalent, “Small Town News.” I watched Leno every night for a couple of months after sending it in, hoping to see it on the show but never did. I could have missed it though. Anyway, it had been so long since I sent it in to the two shows, I had pretty much given up on it. Then one night I just happened to be watching Letterman and the first clipping he showed for “Small Town News” was the “Free Cat” coupon! I almost jumped out of my seat!

Even though I’m not a native Columbian and I wasn’t previously familiar with Shakespeare’s history of funny ads, I thought that your readers and fans of the restaurant might like to share in what I refer to as “my 15 seconds of fame” and the mention of a beloved Columbia institution on national television. I’m happy to have played a small role in sharing the humorous history of Shakespeare’s Pizza with the rest of America.

Vince Pepple
Green Castle, Mo.

Editor’s note: Shakepeare’s general manager Kurt Mirtsching followed up the “Free Cat” ad with one that reads, “Will somebody please come take this dang cat!!?!?!??”

Nothing short of amazing

I wanted to tell you how much I loved the “Why We Love CoMo” issue [Spring 2010] of MIZZOU magazine. I love getting the magazine as a way to stay connected to MU, but that issue made me love my hometown and the magazine even more. From the moment I saw the cover I was so excited. Please share my sincere thanks with all involved for such an amazing article that truly captures the best of Columbia. Do you know if there is any chance the cover art might be available as a poster?

Katie Landwehr, BSN ’02
Greensburg, Penn.

Editor’s note: Yes. The cover is available as a poster from MU’s Printing Services. Contact Kelli Embry, Digiprint supervisor, at embryk@missouri.edu. A 16-inch by 20-inch poster, for example, would cost about $21, plus shipping and handling.